by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
Friday, April 16, 2010, I had the pleasure, for the GREEN (LIVING) REVIEW to visit the UK AWARE Show, the only true green consumer show in the UK, at Kensington Olympia 2 Exhibition Hall, in London.
This was UK AWARE's third year but it was my first visit although I was meant to attend last year but was prevented from doing so at the last moment by circumstances beyond my control. Such is life, as they say.
The Show is aimed at the green consumer, the general public, and presented an interesting spread of companies, small independents, stores, small publishers of books and magazines, organizations, etc., with a green and ethical theme. Represented were also a number of green energy suppliers, as well a business consultants.
Of the busy stands at the event the by far busiest ones – to me at least – and I also guess many others – were those of Keep Cup, the real alternative to the paper- or plastic cup, and that of Onya Bags, who not only have bags, nowadays, as many a reader will know, I am sure.
While the event bas busy-ish and it was a Friday, a working day for most people, I am sure a way could be found to really turn UK AWARE into the green & ethical equivalent of the Ideal Home Show, without the primary emphasis on “home”.
On the other hand, UK AWARE doe not have, as did the Ideal Home Show, for instance the finances and backing of a major newspaper, the Daily Mail, and its PR apparatus behind it.
Far from it! The founder of UK AWARE, Danny Carnegie, is a serving firefighter with London Fire & Rescue and much of the operations are financed from his income. Great job, Danny!
I am hopeful that UK AWARE can and will grow in the years to come and be able to become a major vehicle of educating the public as to green and ethical issues on all levels and not just climate change and CO2.
The exhibitors on UK AWARE were, in fact, varied enough to not just be concentrating on said levels and encompassed a rather broad spectrum.
The biggest problem at present is that way too much emphasis is given at other events and in general to climate change and CO2, to the detriment of other issues of the environment, such as air, soil, and water; issues of proper waste management and others.
What good, as I have said before, is a goo planet if it can no longer support human life because the water is no longer drinkable, the soil unsuitable for agriculture and the air too dangerous to breathe?
All issues must be tackled and the spread at UK AWARE of exhibitors did just that but we need still more.
In closing allow me to thank the team of UK AWARE for a good event and for always having the time for a chat. They are an absolute great bunch and together we, hopefully, can advance this event.
© 2010
